The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-02-18
A NOVEL INSTITUTION.
A PLACE WHERE LONDONERS GO
FOR INFORMATION OF ALL KINDS.

An once of Universal Information foI
tho Public-simple System Of Arrange.
ment-Curious Queries Received from
Widely Different Sources.
"Nothing IL so easy as the invention OF
yesterday" is truism of particular force
when brought in connection with the univer.
sal knowledge and information office situated
in Southampton street, Bloomsbury, which
will probably be best known to the our
readers from the sight Of elongated persons
with lugubrious faces, dressed in coats reach
ing to their feet, and carrying lightly made
desk, waiting along the main thoroughfares
for all the world like a series of new and re-
vised editions of the Wandering Jew. These
men are perambulating branch offices of the
central information Office, and any question
given to them in writing will be forwarded
to headquarters and replied to without loss
of time. Tie history of this remarkable in
stitution is brief but curious, since it differs
from all similar undertakings in the fact that
1t is neither commercial concern nor a
money speculation. The establishment Of a
universal knowledge and information office
is entirely due to Lord Truro, who started the
office with the double object of benefiting
the public and providing q new opening for
the employment of women. at was my
idea, " said the founder of the bureau in tn >
course of an interview we had with him on
a recent occasion, ''to found central Office,
where any person could have any question
answered without delay, where researches
into literature, science and art could be con-
Quoted, where all languages could be written
or transposed, calculations be made, and
statistics be kept always available" Such
an institution is now in a nourishing state Of
existence and its work is as various as it is
interesting.
A SIMPLE SYSTEM.
Tho system of arrangement is simple. Cor
respondents have been appointed in every
town of importance throughout the world.
Its interior working is divided into depart
ments, each comprising a range of subjects,
from agriculture to Hindoostani and from
literature to engineering. A large staff,
comprising over thirty persons, is kept on
the premises, and among them are linguists
capable of writing and translating every
tongue from Welsh to japanese and from
Portuguese to Greek. One is practical
chemist, another an engineer, while among
the rest are artists, designers, ladies we'll up
in the various kinds of fine work, tapestry,
etc., and gentlemen of liberal education and
literary knowledge for general research.
Beside these some 200 others are employed
on various errands. A large staff is kept
making researches at the British museum,
another at the Guildhall library. In short,
there is no branch of knowledge, language
or subject on which immediate information
cannot be given, providing it is not ques-
ton requiring lengthy research. There are,
however, two things which the office will not
do, and about these Lord Truro, who, ky the
way, personally superintends the bureau
every day, is very particular The first
relates to questions of detective or in
quisitorial character; the second rue lays
down that the Office shall not interfere with
any Of the professions.
The arrangements in Southampton street
are admirable, but although established only
in January, 1884. the work has outgrown the
space allotted to it and larger premises will
have to be shortly sought. Several hundred
letters arc received every morning and more
continue to pour in throughout the day.
Every letter is at once attended to and put
into the hands of lady or gentleman IN
whose department the inquiry may be. Inc
questions are next registered in book ana
the answer when sent is also recorded
Some of these queries are exceedingly curious
and give an interesting insight into the bent
of peoples minds. They comprise every
subject, known or unknown languages to be
translated into English and back again
and we may here note that very large
number of queries come from abroad. The
payment for these foreign questions is gener-
ally made in money or stamps of the country
from which the letters come, and in this |
way Lord Truro has acquired large and
curious collection of foreign money and
stamps. Among those we saw were Rus
sian rublcs Roumanian 20 lei pieces, Ital-
ian lire German gulden, American notes
and Spanish dollars, to say nothing OF ru-
PEGS and postage stamps galore
THREE CLASSES OF QUESTIONS.
The questions received in Southampton
street may be divided into three classes
the ordinary the curious and the ridiculous,
though the last mentioned comprise but a
small minority Queries respecting hair
dyes, nose machines, quack medicines, etc.,
are, of course, in the ascendant, but Of
more thoughtful kind are those such as that
put by an inquirer wanting to know "How
can you tell the difference between blow
and fall, judging from the effects only?"
Another inquiring mind asks for the address
Of "tho hesduarters of the non-polygamous
Mormons" Others demand a list of the
different appointments in the gift Of the
government for which no examination is re-
luired, tho first mention of the mehdi, and
whcro it occurs, why st. James is the patron
saint of Cupar-Fife and fourteen or fifteen
names of men who deal in cotton waste in
Spain. One correspondent writes from Japan
to learn ''the French for opium caste, " and
mother from Worcester asks who is in
possession of two estates in Santa Cruz"
It is the ladies, however, who distinguish
themselves the most, and their queries are
Is various as they are instructive. A num-
Der have sent for correct costumes for fancy
lress balls, one even requiring that of the
Queen of Sheba, request which was met
with water color sketch of the dame in
question correctly costumed. Two different
aides in different towns have asked for
'ecipes for preventing blushing, a somewhat
startling fact; indeed, we could have more
'asily understood prayer for the secret OF